It is becoming increasingly common for consumer electronic devices to incorporate devices that use different wavelengths of light. Remote control (RC) receiver devices and ambient light photosensor (ALPS) devices are examples of devices that use different wavelengths of light and that are commonly incorporated into the same electronic device. RC receiver devices and ALPS devices are used in a wide variety of electronic devices such as television sets (TVs), digital video disc (DVD) players, personal computers (PCs), laptop computers, notebook PCs, and other types of devices.
RC receiver devices receive electromagnetic signals that are transmitted over an air interface from an RC transmitter device operated by a user. The electromagnetic signals are typically infrared (IR) signals. A photodiode of the RC receiver produces electrical signals in response to receiving the electromagnetic signals transmitted by the RC transmitter device. The electrical signals produced by the photodiode are converted into digital signals, which are then processed by the IC of the RC receiver device. The IC produces an output signal that is used by the electronic device in which the RC receiver device is employed (e.g., a laptop computer) to cause the electronic device to perform some function (e.g., run a particular application software program).
The RC receiver device is typically mounted on a circuit board and connections are made between conductors of the circuit board and the input/output (I/O) pads of the IC of the RC receiver device. The circuit board having the RC receiver device mounted on it is then installed in the electronic device and electrical connections are made between the I/O ports of the circuit board and devices or components of the electronic device.
ALPS devices are also employed in other systems, such as home lighting systems and wireless handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile telephones. ALPS devices sense the level of ambient light in the surroundings and adjust brightness so that the lighting level is not too bright or too dark given the current level of ambient light in the surroundings. ALPS devices typically include an IC having an ambient light photosensor on it that senses the level of ambient light in the surroundings and produces an electrical signal that is converted into a digital signal for processing by the IC of the ALPS device. The IC produces an output signal that is used by the electronic device in which the ALPS device is employed to cause the electronic device to perform some function (e.g., adjust the brightness level of the TV screen or PC display monitor).
An ALPS device is typically mounted on a circuit board and connections are made between conductors of the circuit board and the I/O pads of the ALPS IC. The circuit board having the IC mounted on it is then installed in the electronic device and electrical connections are made between the I/O ports of the circuit board and components or device of the electronic device.
Electronic devices that employ both RC receiver devices and ALPS devices include one circuit board that has the RC receiver device mounted on it and another circuit board that has the ALPS device mounted on it. Each circuit board consumes a significant amount of space in the electronic device. Of course, a major goal in manufacturing many consumer electronic devices is to reduce their size. To achieve this goal, manufacturers are constantly searching for ways to efficiently use the available space. However, the number and types of functions that many electronic devices perform continue to increase, which makes it ever increasingly difficult to achieve overall size reduction. Using separate circuit boards for the RC receiver device and the ALPS device results in a relatively large amount of space in an electronic device being consumed, and also increases overall costs.
It would be desirable to provide a way to implement an RC receiver device and an ALPS device in a single composite assembly in order to conserve space in an electronic device that employs both devices. In addition, implementing an RC receiver device and an ALPS device in a single composite assembly should reduce costs associated with manufacturing, assembling and shipping the devices.
However, implementing both an RC receiver device and an ALPS device in a single composite assembly presents challenges. The photodiode of the RC receiver device is intended to receive IR light, but should be shielded from other wavelengths of light. Similarly, the photosensor of the ALPS device is intended to receive visible light from the surroundings, but should be shielded from other incident light of other wavelengths that may come from the surroundings.
Accordingly, a need exists for a suitable way to incorporate devices that use different wavelengths of light, such as an RC receiver device and an ALPS device, for example, into a single composite assembly.